The Cavaliers point guard dazzled fans in the Amway Center with a spectacular 3-point shooting blitz in leading Team Chuck to a 146-133 win over Team Shaq in the Rising Stars Challenge as part of All-Star Weekend. Irving finished with 34 points on sizzling 12-of-13 shooting and made all eight of his 3-point attempts.

He was voted by fans as the Most Valuable Player and received a hug from Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert after the game. Fellow Cavaliers rookie Tristan Thompson, playing for the squad selected by Shaquille O'Neal, also had an impressive outing with 20 points and was 10-of-11 from the field.

The two Cavs ended the night an outrageous 22-of-24 (91.6 percent).

"I work on my 3-point shooting every day in practice, off days and everything, I'm still working on my shooting," Irving said "I'm trying to get where it's near perfect."

He achieved it Friday night

In a showcase that included vicious alley-oop dunks from the Los Angeles Clippers' Blake Griffin and sick between-the-opponents-legs passes from Minnesota's Ricky Rubio, Irving mesmerized the crowd with his 3-point stroke. He tallied 11 straight points and 14 of Team Chuck's 15 points late in the first half after a quiet start to the game.

As with any All-Star Weekend event the only defense was purely accidental. Irving got wide-open looks and didn't need a single favorable carom off a rim or board.

"Once I got going I was kind of locked in, so it felt good," Irving said.

Irving, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, went second in Friday's exhibition, which combines the league's top first- and second-year players. O'Neal chose Griffin, the dunking demon, with the first selection.

It was hardly akin to taking Sam Bowie ahead of Michael Jordan, but Shaq sat courtside as Irving rained 3-pointers.

He ranks third among NBA rookies, converting at a 41.5 percent clip.

Irving, who added nine assists, said he was not delivering a statement about any perceived All-Star Game snub. He was not selected by coaches as a reserve for Sunday's game. Rookies seldomy make the game and first-year point guards are even a greater rarity. Former Detroit Pistons star Isiah Thomas was the last to earn the honor in 1982.

"It's not going to be anything harped on by me," Irving said. "It would be an honor to be picked in that game, but I've got a few more years left in this league."

Both Griffin and Thompson talked some good-natured trash to Irving. Nothing worked. Late in the second half, he dribbled down the lane, curled back outside and drained a 3-pointer from the left wing, shrugging to fans as he ran back down court.

"I worked my butt off during the lockout," Irving said "It feels good to finally be here playing with these guys."

His eight 3-pointers did fall short of the record held by another Cavalier. Daniel Gibson was 11-of-20 in the 2008 game. Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant has the points record with 46.

After the game, Gibson tweeted: "Big Time game by a Big Time player. Had me sweating over here for a minute. 11 3's still Good. Congrats @KyrieIrving & @RealTristan13!"

Irving posed for pictures with the crystal MVP trophy. He held it stomach level against his white Cavaliers jersey and offered one instruction to the cameramen.

"Make sure to get the 'Cleveland' [on the jersey]," he said.

Influential advice: Irving, who has dual citizenship, hasn't made a decision on whether to play for the Australian Olympic team this summer. He's getting some advice from a fairly influential source -- his former college coach, who just so happens to coach the U.S. Olympic team.

Irving said Mike Krzyzewski has encouraged him to play this summer for the U.S. Select team, which serves as a feeder program for the American Olympic team. Irving, 19, likely will have a strong chance of representing the U.S. in the 2016 Olympic Games.

"He kind of got on me for who to play for, the Select Team or Australia," Irving said.

Fitch a finalist: Former Cavaliers coach Bill Fitch is among a dozen finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Fitch, a first-time finalist, coached for 28 straight seasons (1970-1998) and won an NBA title with the Boston Celtics in 1981. He coached the Cavaliers during their first nine seasons of existence beginning in 1970 and led them to three playoff appearances.

Former Indiana Pacers star Reggie Miller, longtime coach Don Nelson, former NBA star Maurice Cheeks, and Louisville coach Rick Pitino are among the high-profile candidates. Others include former Georgia and USA team star Katrina McClain, former NBA player Bernard King, former NBA coach Dick Motta, former NCAA referee Hank Nichols, former NBA player Ralph Sampson, former NBA player Jamaal Wilkes,and the All-American Red Heads. The Red Heads were the female equivalent of the Harlem Globetrotters.

The 2012 class will be announced in New Orleans on April 2 at NCAA Final Four. A finalist must have at least 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Hall.

Quotable:Paul Pierce doesn't have a Rookie of the Year vote, but it's clear who the Boston Celtics star thinks who should win the award. "You can't tell Kyrie is a rookie. He plays with such poise. He's the best one, no doubt about it."

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